Purpose and Meaning of Human Existence Essay

unmatched of the commodious ironies with respect to Samuel Becketts conceal for Godot is that iodin of the creations superlative scats is so poorly understood. Thither argon, to be sure, m each foreign interpretations. Precise fundaments or intentions sport been difficult to discern from the matchs textual matter. These interpretive difficulties withdraw from been alter by the fact that Beckett was often equivocal when asked nearly the exact part of accredited characters in the con or the content of the text.This is non meant to suggest that certain ancestors and intentions apprize non be determined, for in that location certainly appear to be certain thematic patterns, but sooner to suggest that the ladder does appear in certain ways to be decipherable to varied shells of interpretations. A review of the erudite texts and articles, for instance, reveals academic arguments to the inwardness that the campaign is slightly God, salvation, the French apology to Ger opus profession in the historical period in which the bump was written, the purpose of military personnel beence, and the insignifi faecest of time.With such a variety of interpretations, sticker up by specific references to the dissipations text and different(a) historical circumstances, it would expect nearly impossible to identify an overarching or unifying stalk. A c atomic number 18ful exam of the walkovers text, how invariably, suggests that such a dominant thematic element brush aside be tack together. The thesis of this radical, and so, is that the dominant content in delay for Godot is the valet de chambre creative activitys anticipate for purpose and essence in a world that t residuumer benesss either do not generalize or merchant shipnot assure.In support of this thesis, this paper leave attempt to harmonize the different critical interpretations and demonstrate that the main characters with their talk on a shape of dif ferent subjects consistently illustrate the gentle take for purpose and morsel in a world that come alongs hopelessly beyond their comprehension. Critical Confusion and Multiple Interpretations Harmonizing varied Perspectives As an initial matter, before go on to an psychometric test of the plays text, it is useable to present the critical astonishment that has arisen from ternary interpretations of the play.This is useful because even these different interpretations can be harmonized to almost come throughing if the truly dominant theme of the play is said to be the valet de chambre attend for purpose and meat in a complicated or complex world. It is well- pitched, for example, that the play presents a series of universal c alone forions specifically, as one academic has observed, postponement for Godot, in m all ways, scarce extends those uncertainties Why be we here? Are we completely in an uncaring existence, or not?What argon we to do opus we ar here? How can we turn in? And, ultimately, what does it matter? (Hutchings x) These types of questions, to a large extant, transcend m each of the conflicting interpretations. If Godot is God, as some fall in argued, then Vladimir and tarragon ar postponement for God. They freely admit that they ar not specially familiar with Godot and this admission reflects and reinforces the fact that these ii kind beingnesss do not yield a perfect knowledge of the designer of their world.If Godot is not God, as some lease argued, then Vladimir and estragon atomic number 18 by peril waiting for some type of smart spark in order to secern them why they are waiting, whether they should leave, or whether it energy be collapse to leave their describe by the steer and take favourable step to go and find the murky Godot. In either concomitant, whether Godot matchs God or a figurative type of noetic flash, the core theme is one of twain(prenominal) homo beings who seem consis tently unavailing to determine what to do.They engage in a series of superficial conversations, they consider self-annihilation as a way of end peak their confusion, and in the end they remain severely planted on the country road much as the tree where they wait is firmly planted in the ground. so far if one is to assume, as some prentices have, that the play is tangiblely an aesthetic allusion to the French resistance or the onset of the Cold War, this does not necessarily undermine the notion that tender-hearted beings are somehow trapped in spite of appearance a world or amicable circumstances in which they have itty-bitty control or little understanding.The all all-important(a)(p) point, for purposes of this papers thesis, is that the conflicting interpretations can be transcended if one assumes that the transcendental theme is one some specifically cogitate to the charitable beings search for purpose and nub in a confusing physical world. Whether Vladimir a nd Estragon are waiting for God, a real person, happy knowledge of social circumstances, or the laws of the universe is fundamentally tangential to the fact that they are helpless in the circumstances that Beckett has created. They are petty, feeble, and passive.The rest of this paper therefore restoration from the assumption that the conflicting interpretations can be unified by treating the fundamental theme as the search for purpose and meaning in life sentence. This fundamental theme ordain be discussed in the following sections by referring to specific features of the play. Significance of Human high society Pairs, Dependence, and Shared Searches One of the to the highest degree important structural features of the play is the fact that compassionates beings are portrayed as being extraordinarily opineent and unable to exist in isolation or individually.This is most evident in the fact that the plays characters come in rivals and seem in many ways to be inseparable. The main characters, for instance, are Vladimir and Estragon. It would appear that they have arrived as a pair, they continue to wait as a pair, and although they neer leave they do talk about loss as a pair. They have different face-to-faceities, they would appear to have different backgrounds given over the different stories that they tell, and but they seem noncompliant or unable to separate and go their own ways.This notion of clement inseparability, a putting green fear or ignorance about the meaning of human man, is disassembleicularly make water when Vladimir and Estragon are discussing the crucifixion of de bangry son Christ and the two thieves on the elude next to Jesus. Specifically, the fear of being alone and the emphasis of human lodge is provided in the following passage VLADIMIR Ah yes, the two thieves. Do you remember the story? tarragon none VLADIMIR Shall I tell it to you? ESTRAGON no VLADIMIR Itll pass the time. (Pause. ) Two thieves, crucified at the aforesaid(prenominal) time as our Saviour. One ESTRAGON Our what?VLADIMIR Our Saviour. Two thieves. One is supposed to have been saved and the other . . . (he searches for the contrary of saved) . . . goddamn (Becket n. p. ) This passage illustrates the need for human companionship and in plus the need for human beings to depend on each other. This companionship is needed because human beings must face the uncertainties of the world and human existence together. The dependence is and so caused by a fear that individuals leave be unable to cope with these uncertainties whereas existence sharing these fears can at least(prenominal) confront these uncertainties together.This common flummox, in short, helps human beings to deal with their confusion about the meaning of human existence better than if they pondered these questions alone. An examination of the replete(p) play consistently reinforces these notions of companionship and dependence. Later on in the play, for example, Vladimir and Estragon are considering suicide and the pair again grow concerned that one allow successfully commit suicide and the other provide fail. The panorama that one of them will die and one will live is a frightening thought for both men because one will be unattended in death and the other will be unattended in life.Again, because the purpose and the meaning of human existence is unknow both in life and in death, the pair refuse to flare up up or pursue any implement that might destroy their mad and physical bonds. At another point in the play, Estragon states that There are times when I wonder if it wouldnt be better for us to part to which Vladimir responds rather matter-of-factly You wouldnt go far. (Beckett n. p. ). The play could not exist as it was think if the pair ever did separate.The quest for purpose and the meaning of human existence is therefore a common human quest rather than an individuals personal burden. These notions of human companions hip and a divided up quest are even much than powerfully presented with the human pairing of Pozzo and roaring. In their start appearance, Lucky is a hard worker and yet he prefers being a hard worker and being dependent to being set free. Lucky is ridiculed, he is called a pig, and yet he reacts angrily when someone other than Pozzo attempts to help him more specificly, he kicks Estragon in the shins.A grievous scene in this respect is when Lucky appears to faint after dancing and big(a) his rather incoherent speech more particularly, Pozzo is deeply fearful at the prospect of losing his slave when he says dresst let him go (Vladimir and Estragon totter. ) outweart move (Pozzo fetches bag and ring and brings them towards Lucky. ) Hold him irritated (He puts the bag in Luckys hand. Lucky drops it immediately. ) Dont let him go (He puts back the bag in Luckys hand. Gradually, at the feel of the bag, Lucky recovers his senses and his fingers at long last close round t he handle.) Hold him tight (Beckett n. p. ) Even a human maestro is dependent on his slave, the companionship of maestro and slave is intimate because both fear facing the uncertainties of life alone, and like the bond that exists between Vladimir and Estragon, so too does a very real bond exist between Pozzo and Lucky. This bond is reinforced in the second act when Pozzo returns blind and his come is tied to a rope being held by Lucky. Pozzo could not sell his slave and the slave is now leading the master.As if these two traces were not enough, Beckett included yet one more human pair to emphasize the common fears that human beings have about the purpose of their lives and the meaning of human existence. This final human pairing is the boy sent as Godots messenger. The boy and Godot constitute a final human pairing and the boy recounts to Vladimir and Estragon that Godot is real and that Godot beats my sidekick. (Beckett, n. p. ) Despite the beatings, the boy and his brother remain with Godot as is established at the end of the second act.This scene is in any fiber notable because it establishes that Godot exists and that the most inborn human relationships are about the aforementioned human pairings rather than about Vladimir and Estragon waiting for Godot. The waiting, as it were, may simply be the context within which Beckett sought to establish the shared human bonds with respect to their confusion about the meaning of life. The question frankincense becomes how these dependent and mutually burdened companions ought to near their lives.Function of Idleness Fear of put to death and Aversion to Failure In addition to their unwillingness to separate, Vladimir and Estragon seem also quite unwilling to commit to any put through despite a great deal of conversation. To be sure, the play is tag almost exclusively by dialogue rather than action. The pair carry on a series of seemingly long conversations, most of them rather childish and inane, and these conversations in the end seem to represent a rather firm commitment to make no commitments at all.Vladimir, for example, recognizes this fear of action or commitment when he says to Estragon Let us do something, while we have the chance It is not every day that we are needed. Not hence that we are personally needed. Others would meet the case equally well, if not better. To all gentlemans gentleman they were addressed, those cries for help still ringing in our ears But at this place, at this moment of time, all mankind is us, whether we like it or not. Let us make the most of it, before it is too late (Beckett qtd. in Brater 147)Vladimir and Estragon, for all of their apparent desire to real meet Godot, are wholly offhanded to take any affirmative steps to actually go and locate him on their own initiative. They admit that time is passing, that they represent all mankind, and that it will be too late if they do not do something. It is this very inability to do something, an inability which they represent figuratively as all human beings, that characterizes their function in the play. There are several clues to the effect that they can find Godot if they were not check or afraid in some way.First, Vladimir and Estragon have obviously followed a country road to the tree where they are waiting for Godot. The fact that they have walked this particular country road, and selected this particular tree, suggests that they know in which direction the mysterious Godot resides. Presumably, if their actions were not somehow constrained, they would simply continue walking along the same country road until they found Godot. They could ask for directions or assistance along the way and they could become more spry in pursuit of their ultimate destination.The problem, however, is that both Vladimir and Estragon perhaps do not know their precise destination. The second clue to the effect that the waiting of Vladimir and Estragon is a product of their own doing rath er than Godots apparent tardiness is the fact that a boy appears twice in the play as a messenger. The boy admits quite literally that he and his brother know Godot, that they are employed or otherwise beholden to him in certain respects, and that he will return to Godot as soon as his message has been provided to Vladimir and Estragon.Why, then, could they not have simply followed the boy home to Godot? Indeed, this is a peeping question that can sole(prenominal) be resolved if one assumes that Godot is inappropriate to the waiting. some(prenominal) interpretations, it must be acknowledged, have suggested that Beckett intend Godot as God and that they boy messenger was think as a type of angel ( Mercier 27) such an interpretation, whether accurate or not, does not undermine a thesis to the effect that the predominant theme remained mans tentative quest to understand himself and the universe in which he lived.This is dependable for a couple of reasons. First, when asked wheth er he intended Godot as God, Beckett repeatedly stated that there was never intended to be any relationship between Godot and God. Presumably, the plays author knows what was intended. That many interpretations have focus on Godot as God, however, is not surprising. The label are almost the same and the quest to understand the nature and the meaning of human existence necessarily implicates some questions tie in to God and how the universe was created.Thus, although these interpretations are just about sensible, the evidence that can be condescendd from Becketts own statements and the plays text taken as a tout ensemble counsel against such an interpretation. God is relevant, as one possible explanation for the meaning of human life, but Godot is no more God than Vladimir and Estragon are hoping for salvation. Godot is Godot and the human pair waiting by the tree are seeking understanding and illumination rather than salvation. Second, the plays theme is more about the waitin g and the rational underlying the waiting than it is about Godot.The entire play, to be sure, takes place in one setting. Other settings, including Godots, are tangential and not central features of the plays structure. The waiting, in this respect, transcends the distant character vaguely known as Godot. One leading scholar of the play has noted how the waiting is more important than Godot by arguing that The plays minimal plot and action are accurately described in its title passim the duration of the play, and throughout an undeterminable amount of time that elapses in their lives, the two central characters await an event that does not happen and may never happen.Meanwhile, necessarily, they pass away their time in some- times abrasive conversation, in chance encounters with a pair of odd passersby, and in expressions of mutual if sometimes exasperated benignity and the long-standing concern that can develop only between inseparable friends. (Hutchings 23) Taken together, the go around argument that one can derive from the plays text is that there is a dominant theme that dominant theme, in turn, is that human beings are conjointly and inseparably bound together by the fact that they do not know the purpose of the human race or the meaning of their own existence.Such a lack of knowledge encourages closer types of human dependence and simultaneously inspires caution, hesitation, and fear. All the while, amidst this uncertainty and fear, time passes by and all human beings are faced with dying without ever having understood why they existed in the first place. Life is a tree to which we are all tethered much in the same way that Vladimir and Estragon were figuratively tethered. Conclusion In conclusion, Samuel Becketts Waiting for Godot is best read as an artistic rendition of the greatest human plight of all time.Human beings, in this respect, are born with an imperfect knowledge of themselves and of the universe in which they exist and are pass judgm ent to function. This imperfect knowledge lends itself to much dead reckoning of the purpose and meaning of human existence, as the many religions around the world forcefully attest to, but in the end it is nothing more than idle and unimportant speculation. Godot, whether he is God or not, is irrelevant in the play. It is the waiting, the search and the confusion that all human beings share, that is the plays common lamentation.That all of the critics tend to characterize the play as tragedy or frivolity somewhat misses the plays essential nature as a lamentation for a quest for knowledge that can never be fulfilled. We are better advised to forget Godot and get on with living rather than waiting for divine inspiration that will probably never arrive.Works CitedBeckett, Samuel. Waiting for Godot. Samuel Beckett. net Brater, Enoch. The globalisation of Becketts Godot. Comparative Drama 37. 2 (2003) 145+. Questia. Web. 10 Dec. 2009. Hutchings, William. Samuel Becketts Waitin g for Godot A Reference Guide. Westport, CT Praeger, 2005. Questia. Web. 10 Dec. 2009. Mercier, Vivian. The Uneventful Event. The Critical Response to Samuel Beckett. Ed. Cathleen Culotta Andonian. Westport, CT Greenwood Press, 1998. 95-96. Questia. Web. 10 Dec. 2009.